Rebirth : Replay
by chalkbutterfly
Summary: Being reborn into the Naruto universe isn't as awesome as one might think. Akemi is about to find this out the hard way... OC, Self-insert, gen
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, I'm guilty. Akemi is a SI. I did it. I have crossed the line, and do you know what? I regret nothing! *runs off cackling into the distance***

**Please read and review - that's the only way I can know if I'm getting better!**

* * *

The last thing I remembered before my death was being hit by a car.

* * *

When I came to, it was warm and quiet. Everything was soothing and relaxing, so I drifted back to sleep. I was so tired...

* * *

The next time I woke up, I was shocked that I had forgotten what had happened so quickly. I was hit by a car, that's not the kind of thing you can shrug off! I tried to open my eyes, but ended up twitching my fingers - my motor control was shot to hell and back. It was panic-inducing, not being able to control even your own body, but I couldn't seem to work up the energy to be nervous about it, not in this lovely place. It felt like I was surrounded with... Love? Affection? I just had the feeling that everything was right in the world.

Perhaps I really had died, and this was Heaven? It seemed pretty far off my mother's descriptions, lacking clouds and angels, but the sense of tranquility was absolute. Here, I could rest. I'm not sure why, but I had been feeling so tired lately...

* * *

I was startled out of my lovely sleep by the cold, harsh air, and daylight stinging my eyes. It was a complete shock to my system, not what I was expecting at all, like being awoken from slumber by someone ripping the blankets off.

I cried, because there was stuff in my nose and mouth, and get it out, getitoutgetitout! I screamed, hoping someone would assist me, and finally, a person with exceptionally large hands came to my rescue, holding me upside-down, allowing that nasty fluid to drain out - and then they smacked me! How was that fair?

I hollered at my cruel treatment, feeling completely slighted. But once I had started to cry, the stranger, about whom I retract all of the nice things I said, by the way, handed me over to someone else, who held me to their breast.

And let me tell you, breast-feeding might be the natural way to go about it, but by god, it's freaking gross!

I suddenly became aware that the sharp, disinfectant smell around me could only mean I was in a hospital. And with that, the mystery was solved. Why I was in that comforting place. What had just happened. Why some lady was holding her boob to my mouth.

I had just been reborn, somehow.

Wait. Weren't you supposed to forget everything once you were reincarnated? Maybe I had somehow gotten a second chance, to be able to relive my life again, like in those time-travel movies, where the hero runs a minute late and misses his soulmate, or where he doesn't follow his dream of becoming a football player and settles for a life of mediocrity?

Heaven knows that mediocre was the best way to describe my life before I had died. My family loved me, sure, but I always had the feeling like I was just waiting for the TARDIS to appear and spirit me off to some grand adventure. Like I could do more with my life than just reading other people's adventures, but mine still hadn't happened yet.

Well, being reborn sure counted as an adventure! Hell, after that, I think I needed a cigarette Not that I smoke, mind, I hate the smell, and it's not good for you. And I was now a baby, so no smoking for the infant. A metaphorical cigarette - that was what I needed. I could blow smoke circles with it, like a boss, and...

Gosh, I was going off on a tangent, wasn't I? Well, I suppose birth could be considered a highly traumatic experience, and most likely, my brain still hadn't developed fully yet, so small wonder I had the attention span of a puppy.

I opened my eyes, after much trial and effort. It felt like everything in my body had been rewired - nerves missing and new ones in their place, everything misfiring all at once - it was enough to give me a headache, but I persevered.

The woman above me was not my mother. For one, she had black hair, long and straight, unlike my mother's, and my, curly blonde. Her eyes were almost the colour of cinnamon, and her skin had obviously seen the sun. There was a small scar under her right eye which I found myself facinated by - my mother was too much of an indoor person to have ever gotten scars, and the small flaw was... Comforting. This woman might not be my mother, but the words she was cooing to me were filled with love, and her face was alight with adoration. She kept whispering something as she sobbed with joy, but to my ears, it was garbled noise.

* * *

It didn't take me long to discover my new parents' names. My father was Masahiro, and my mother was Akiko. Their surname, and mine too, I would assume, was Fujiwara. My new name was Akemi, which was quite different to my old name, but hearing it said with such affection, I couldn't mind it. I soon became used to my new life, frustrating as it was to be unable to do anything. I had to rely on Masahiro and Akiko for everything, but they were excellent parents - I soon came to love them as my own. They clearly adored me, as I was their only child, and Akiko would always sing to me if I was upset by my own inability to do anything. Masahiro was out most days, but I clearly recall waking up one night to see him looking down on me, in my crib, with a look that was so tender it hurt.

I learnt some of the language from Akiko repeating words to me, but I could never repeat them, because it takes a lot of muscle control to form words. I decided that I would practice when I was alone, and that 'Mama' and 'Papa', respectively, should be the first words they heard me say.

My muscle control slowly inproved as well, my mind becoming used to the new pathways by what appeared to be flailing. The human body was really an amazing thing - with only a few months, my hand eye coordination had come on in leaps and bounds, and all of the random movements and gurgling that infants usually did was actually the best way to progress, testing out muscles and feeling them respond.

Asides from my being the reincarnation of an eighteen-year-old student, ours appeared to be the perfect family - warm, loving parents, and a well behaved baby, because even if I was in the body of an infant, I had standards!

* * *

Four months in, That Day happened.

Masahiro awoke me in the middle of the night, my mother already up and dressed. They were wearing different clothes to normal, almost like shinobi from Naruto, a manga and anime I had loved before my untimely demise and rebirth. Heck, my father was even wearing a forehead protector! Were they off to a convention?

...No, the looks on their faces were far too serious for that. I gleaned from their conversation that something was attacking the town we lived in, and they were needed. Akiko pressed a desperate kiss to my forehead, and Masahiro swathed me in my blanket and dropped me in to our neighbours, who had a daughter who sometimes babysat me.

As we exited the apartment, I shuddered. There was a malevolent feel to the air, as though something was coming...

And something was, although I couldn't see it.

My parents never returned. Fujuwara Masahiro and Fujiwara Akiko were added to the Memorial Stone, as shinobi who had fallen in defense of the village.

I was somehow in the world of Naruto, and the Kyuubi had just killed my family.

* * *

I was placed in an orphanage after that, as were many other children. The eldest was seven, a sweet girl named Tsukiko who helped take care of the younger children, myself included. The youngest was a newborn, with his father's spiky blond hair, and whisker-like scars on his face.

Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

I didn't blame him for the death of my parents - how could I? Aside from knowing that he was a good kid, who grew up to be a good man, due to my handy foreknowledge, he was younger than I was when the attack had happened. He was no more to blame for the attack than I was, and he had as much chance at stopping it. He was going to be shunned by the entire village because his father had used him to protect them...

Maybe this was my mission, the reason I had been sent back. If I could stop this boy from having a miserable childhood, and stop Sasuke from defecting, everything would be so much better!

Of course, that still left Madara to deal with.

And I knew exactly how I was going to do it. That bastard had killed my family, after all, and even though they weren't the first family I had ever had, I had loved them.

* * *

Growing up was a slow process – I can still remember, with perfect clarity, the first time I had managed to crawl. I was so proud of myself, because even that small achievement had been a huge milestone. Coordinating my hand and feet movements was really a big deal to me, and I remember falling flat on my face many times in the process of working up to this stage. I immediately made my way, slowly, over to Naruto's crib. He wasn't a baby any more. He looked to be older than I was when I first came to the orphanage – five months old, I'd say.

I suddenly realized that I had lost track of how many days had passed, in my single-minded stubbornness to get my body obeying my commands again. It must have been five months since that day, since I was now at the right age to be crawling!

Time hadn't healed the ache, not for my original parents or my parents here. I still missed them with every second, but I knew that they'd want me to be strong, and only look back on them when it made me happy.

I clambered into Naruto's cot, seeing a squalling baby, who the rest of the staff were ignoring. I pulled him into a cuddle, and he quieted, looking over at me with a surprised look on his face. That shocked, at receiving a little affection? Poor thing...

I resolved not to let Naruto grow up friendless this time. I might not have been able to do much, trapped as I was in the body of a baby, but providing friendship and support, I could definitely do!

* * *

Once he was finally being paid some attention, Naruto was mostly a happy baby. A little attention-seeking, yes, but that worked for me, finally giving me some task which I could do, stopping me from feeling so useless and trapped.

I played with him every day, ignoring the scowls of the orphanage staff. They didn't dare to interfere, not with the man I recognized as the Sandaime Hokage keeping an eye on them, and their neglect did not stretch as far as abuse. They would feed him and change him, but nothing else, and I wondered at their idiocy.

What did they think would happen to the Kyuubi if Naruto died, as babies could from lack of love? Best case scenario, they end up with a mentally-unstable Jinchuuriki, and nobody wanted that. Thoughts of Gaara of the Sand flashed through my mind, and I shuddered. He was one of my favourite characters, yes, but nobody could deny that he was mad as a hatter during the Chuunin exams.

That Naruto hadn't turned out to be a psychopath was completely stunning, to be honest. But, in this time-line, he wouldn't have the opportunity. The Rookie 9 all befriended him once they got to know him a little, and I was sure that the same thing would happen this time. Heck, Hinata would be more than willing to be his friend, and I reckoned that they would be good for each other.

* * *

By the time I was three years old, I could communicate in small sentences, hampered by both my lack of understanding of Japanese, and my difficulty making my tongue obey me. Still, this new-found communication was a blessing, as it finally stopped me from being alone in my own head with my thoughts all day. Naruto had picked it up quickly, and once he learned, he rarely stopped chattering away, which was irritating at first, but soon grew to be comforting – like a constant reminder that he was there, that I wasn't alone.

"Akemi-chan, lookit!" He demanded one day, playing with a wooden shuriken. His hand-eye coordination was much better then mine, and I smiled – he was a born ninja, this one.

"Yup. Shu-ri-ken." I enunciated. I still knew more words than he did, but he was much better at using the ones he knew than I was.

"Shuriken!" He repeated cheerfully, going back to playing with his toys.

I sighed, happily, and returned to my book. I had already known hiragana, from my failed anime-fan attempt to learn Japanese, but my kanji were horribly lacking, and I really had nothing better to do. The orphanage staff tended to ignore me, most of the time, since I was always with Naruto, a fact which really should have bothered me more. But, in my mind, I was a grown-ass adult, and we didn't need them anyway! I was more than capable of taking care of the two of us, keeping Naruto out of trouble most of the time, and providing him with an alibi when the staff particularly deserved pranking.

I suspect that it should have surprised them that I could read by the age of three, but like I said, they tended to ignore me. I never read aloud, so they might have thought I was only in it for the pictures, but between Naruto and my books, my vocabulary grew.

* * *

We grew up too quickly, it seemed. Soon Naruto was talking in full sentences, and was able to express himself. The Sandaime came to visit sometimes, and while it was obvious that he was mainly there for Naruto, he always said hello to me whenever he visited. I wanted to tell him not to feel bad about my parents' deaths, but somehow, the words never came. Better not to say that much, and have to explain myself, though.

"Akemi-chan, how are you today?" He asked cordially, and I smiled up at him, pleased that he was making an effort.

"I'm fine, Hokage-sama, and you?" I used the most polite Japanese I could muster up, and drew a smile from the old man.

"Fine, also, thank you. Where is Naruto, do you know?"

"Give me a moment, please." I said politely, then turned and hollered. "Naruto, you've got a visitor!"

He skidded into view, already wearing his customary orange, even at this young age. "Gramps!" He cried happily, throwing himself at the leader of the village like one would a favourite grandfather. The Sandaime caught him with strength that belied his age, and I realized again that he was the leader of a Hidden Village, a ruler over shinobi. He was someone to be respected.

"Naruto, be polite." I stage-whispered, and the Hokage laughed. "No, no, Akemi-chan, it's fine."

"Yeah, see?" Naruto stuck his tongue out at me teasingly.

Of course, being the mature and sensible adult I was, I did the only option left to me.

Retaliation. I pulled the most horrific face I could manage, and we both fell over laughing at how silly we were. When we had finished, and I had caught my breath, I saw Sarutobi looking down at us with a fond expression.

"You know, I had worried about Naruto being placed here, but now I think I see my fears were unfounded. Thank you, Akemi-chan." He murmured, almost as though he was speaking to himself.

I had heard him, though, and my eyes teared up a little. The gratitude in his voice was almost overwhelming.

He cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had fallen. "I'm afraid this is a running visit, you two – I need to speak to the lady in charge – some more orphans are due to be starting the Academy soon, and I have paperwork that we have to go over.

Naruto and I smiled, and waved him off.

* * *

When you started the Academy depended on if you were from a shinobi family or not – those who weren't started a year early, kind of like a foundation year, so that they could be taught the things that shinobi children would usually learn from their parents.

Naruto and I started the Academy together, at age six. There were a lot of children there that I didn't recognize, and I assumed that they were the ones who had failed the Genin test, or who had failed whatever equivalent to the bell test their senseis' had administered. Still, Sakura Haruno was there, since she was the first ninja in her family, and Tenten and Rock Lee were in the year above us, along with Neji Hyuuga. The rest of the Rookie Nine were from shinobi families, so would be starting next year.

_Just you watch, mother, father. I'll make you proud._ I thought to myself as I took my first step inside the Academy.

* * *

Our first day was pretty hectic – we were all assigned Iruka-sensei as our year tutor, which meant that he'd be teaching us most of our lessons. Judging by his age, I think that we were the first year group he had ever taught, and he was almost as nervous as we were.

Like the character in the manga, which seemed almost like a dream, now, he was kind to Naruto. That earned him major points in my book, seeing as all of the other children followed their parents' examples and ignored him, if not picked on him. I didn't stand for it, though, quickly going to Iruka-sensei if anyone tried anything. I earned a bit of a reputation as a tattle-tale, and most of the brats wouldn't talk to me, but I reckon they were just jealous because none of them were ever going to be main characters. Oh, yeah. I went there.

Naruto thoroughly enjoyed all of his classes, except, and I quote, 'The boring ones where we have to sit there and do nothing'. He was lucky that the ninja institution existed, because otherwise, he'd be in trouble – my mind boggled, imagining him in the schooling system where I had lived my first life. He'd probably have been that one problem child who sat in the back, throwing things at people. Still, we sat together in the middle of the classroom, and whenever he started to daydream, I'd remind him softly that this would be a part of the Genin exam. With that near-constant reminder, he started to really pay attention in class, although it probably helped that Iruka-sensei was a really good teacher, and he excelled in making stories out of history, and games out of tactics.

I found myself paying attention in class also – the lectures were usually really interesting, like stories out of a manga series, with ninja who could level buildings in one move. The Yondaime was probably my favourite – I could hear how much he treasured the village in all of the stories I heard, as well as from my knowledge of the manga. Naruto looked so much like him, I wondered how the villagers could possibly fail to see it.

* * *

Our first year passed pretty quickly – there was an exam at the end, the same as the entrance exam for candidates from shinobi families, but very few failed it – in a world where your skill meant your life or death, nobody slacked with their training. Naruto and I were ready, of course – I think I bullied him into more revision than he could stand, but he bore it with only a few complaints.

"Woohoo, we passed, Akemi-chan!" He hollered with joy as we left, after picking up our results. We were both seven now, Naruto a few months younger than I was. He didn't seem to have his silly little crush on Sakura this time around, a fact which I was grateful for – I liked Sakura post Chuunin Exams, but before then, I had found her to be a bit of an immature fangirl. Still, when she was placed on Naruto's team, she'd eventually become one of his special people, so I'd have to make nice with her. And I'd get the chance to talk to Kakashi-sensei, who was one of my favourites!

"So we did, which means that we can leave the orphanage!" Those who passed the test were now officially ninja-in-training, which meant that we were considered mature enough to live on our own. I was looking forward to getting out of that dreary place, and I knew Naruto felt the same. We had chatted about our plans, late one night under the covers, and decided to get apartments next door to each other – that way, we'd still have our own space, but I'd be close by, in case Naruto set his apartment on fire, somehow!

But, for now, we had the entire break ahead of us, ready to do up our new homes, and get some extra training in – you could never be too well prepared!

* * *

Of course, the break passed before we knew it, and soon, we started in our first proper year in the shinobi Academy. Naruto was chuffed, and I was looking forward to seeing some more familiar faces – all of my favourite characters would be there, and hopefully, I could make a positive difference in their lives.

Shikamaru was the first recognizable person I saw, and he was hanging out with a boy who looked an awful lot like a younger Chouji, cloud-watching as his friend snacked. With a chuckle, I left them to it.

I spotted Hinata, in a corner looking out-of-place, and encouraged Naruto to go and speak to her. She blushed as he approached – I do believe I see the beginning of a crush~!

Sasuke was the next person to arrive, ten minutes early. He must have been eager for his first day, I thought. He looked around, trying to decide where to sit, and I figured, better bite the bullet! I waved, and indicated the chair next to mine. He took it gratefully.

"Thanks, I wasn't sure where to sit!" He smiled at me, a proper smile. I was so surprised to see it that it took me a few seconds to respond. "No problem! I'm Fujiwara Akemi, nice to meet you!"

He nodded his head, the closest to a bow he could manage sat down. His manners were lovely, especially compared to Naruto...

"Uchiha Sasuke, a pleasure!" And he was so polite! I internally squeed, just a little.

"So, Sasuke-kun, you were trained by your family? Can you do any jutsu yet?" I figured that was the best way to feel out how long I had before the Uchiha Clan Massacre. I knew it happened one day as he was returning home from the Academy, at about this age, so that would probably be my best indicator.

"I can already do one of the Fire Release justu that my family is known for." He smiled proudly. "How about you, Akemi-chan?"

I was a little surprised by the familiarity with which he referred to me, but then I remembered : I was only a seven year old to him, no wonder he used the "-chan" suffix, especially if I was the first person he got to know in this class. He was probably just trying to be friendly, and the thought brought a smile to my face.

"No, I don't know any – my parents were shinobi, but they were killed in the Kyuubi attack when I was still a baby, so they weren't able to teach me any. I went to the Academy last year." I murmured.

His eyes widened with shock. "Oh, I'm sorry to have brought them up..." He looked as though someone had kicked him in the stomach, poor thing, so I moved to reassure him.

"It's okay – long enough has passed that I can remember them fondly, and I know you weren't trying to bring up bad memories. It hurts, yes, but eventually it becomes something that's just _there, _you know? Life has to go on."

He looked at me with a hint of... respect? "That's very strong of you. Do you remember them, then?"

"Yes, my mother's name was Akiko, and she had eyes like cinnamon, and black hair, like mine, although hers was much longer..." I twiddled a bit of my mid-length hair. Mother's hair had been down to her waist, and I was growing mine out in her memory – preserving what little bit of her I could.

"Okay, class, settle down!" In walked Iruka-sensei again, for the first time this year. He looked a lot more confident this time around, though, as though he knew what he was doing, and wasn't afraid to let us know who was boss.

Naruto hurriedly jumped into the seat next to me, on the other side. "Hey, Akemi-chan, who's this?" He whispered as Iruka-sensei went through roll-call.

"His name's Sasuke. Sasuke-kun, this is Naruto – we were in the orphanage together, his parents were killed by the Kyuubi attack too."

Sasuke nodded over a greeting which Naruto returned. Then they paid attention.

Class was in session.

* * *

I was quick to develop a friendship with Sasuke – I knew what was coming, and had the suspicion that he could use all of the friends he could get for the trials ahead. He was a sweet kid, enthusiastic and curious, but every time he mentioned his brother, my stomach knotted. Itachi really did love him, that was why he left him alive, and gave him the motivation to become stronger, but... I was unsure of what to do. I knew that I couldn't stop the Uchiha Massacre. It was simply impossible – I could either go to the Hokage with my information, but that probably wouldn't have had any effect. The Uchiha clan were traitors to the village, and no castle can stand divided. If I let Itachi know that I knew, I'd probably be killed to ensure my silence.

The best I could do was be there for Sasuke in the aftermath, and try to put the pieces together.

* * *

The Massacre happened four months later.

It was being talked about everywhere, and I stopped on my way to the Academy as soon as I heard, and went straight for the hospital.

"Is Uchiha Sasuke here?" I asked the receptionist politely. I felt a sudden stab of relief that Naruto was running late this morning, so I had gone on ahead. I probably wouldn't have gotten much information if he was there with me.

"Yes, he's in here, but I'm afraid he isn't allowed visitors until visiting hours, from five to six." She pointed a perfectly-manicured nail at a sigh behind her, saying the exact same thing.

"It's okay, I just wanted to make sure that he was alright." I smiled sweetly. "Is there no way I could even nip in, just to say hello?"

"Well..." She sighed, heavily, her aura of 'had too much coffee this morning' dissipating. "After what happened, who am I to begrudge him a friend. You can go up, but don't tell anyone that I was the one who let you in, okay?" She winked. "My name's Choko, and if you come down before you go to let me know you're leaving, it'll be fine."

"Thank you, Chouko-nee-chan!" I figured that she deserved the honorific, after the huge service she was doing me.

"Come on, I'll show you to his room. But remember, our little secret!" She tapped the side of her nose playfully.

* * *

I opened the door a crack, and tiptoed in. "Sasuke-kun..?" I whispered hesitantly.

"Akemi..?" His voice was hoarse, like he had been screaming all night.

"Sasuke, I heard about what happened, and I came to..." What? See if he was okay? His family had just been killed, of course he wouldn't be okay!

"To see you." I finished. "If you want to talk, I'll listen, or I can talk, or we could both just sit here together, if you'd rather."

He turned his head towards me. He looked like death warmed up, dark circles under his eyes, and he was pale as a ghost.

"Could you talk? I hate the silence in here..."  
I obeyed, nattering on about the Academy, Naruto's latest prank, what I thought of some of our classmates, anything I could think of, really. I didn't know if I was helping, but Sasuke's shoulders seemed to relax a little.

"Hey, do you mind if..?" I indicated to the water bottle on his bedside table, throat parched from talking for... Three hours? Man, I could blab on about nothing. He nodded, and I opened it gratefully, chugging down about a third of the bottle before I continued.

I kept going from about eight thirty to seven o'clock, which was when they finally found me and kicked me out. Sasuke had fallen asleep shortly before, so I didn't mind too much, but I worried about what would happen if he woke up alone in there...

* * *

Naruto and I visited him every day until he was released from hospital about a week later. I made sure to ask Iruka-sensei for a copy of the work for him, which he gave me with a sympathetic smile. "Tell him we miss him, okay?" Naruto was being held behind for detention.

"I will!" I promised, already on my way out the door. Chouko stopped me as I arrived at the hospital, though, and told me that Sasuke had just been released, and was probably at the Hokage's tower, having his new paperwork filled out.

I ran to the tower as quickly as I could, hoping that I didn't miss him. Luck was with me this time, as I caught his just as he was about to leave. He looked a lot better than he had in hospital, but the spark of life I had become used to seeing in his eyes was gone.

"Sasuke!" I called. After the way I had seen him, honorifics seemed superfluous. I had seen him after the death of everyone he loved – if that didn't give me the right to drop the '-kun', I don't want to know what it would take.

He was with a chuunin, who was probably assigned to ensure he found somewhere to sleep until he was assigned housing.

"If you were planning on heading to a hotel, why don't you just stay in my apartment instead?" I offered impulsively. "My sofa's pretty comfy. It'll be like a sleepover."

"Thanks, Akemi." He murmured, a little bit of life returning to his eyes. I was glad to see it.

* * *

Sasuke rejoined the Academy after he left hospital, not wanting to waste time. Of course, he was still living on my sofa, so we walked to the Academy together, the three of us. Naruto and Sasuke squabbled, as they usually did, and I saw a little more of the Sasuke I knew returning to us.

That all vanished as we stepped foot inside the classroom. All of the girls wanted to be the first to offer their condolences, practically stampeding over each other do to do. I squeezed his hand gently, letting him know that I was there if he needed me, and he gave me a quick, grateful look.

We went to go and find our seats, Sasuke practically wading through the girls. Still, Iruka-sensei entered a minute later, and called the worst of them off, telling them to go to their places because class was starting.

* * *

We were ambushed again during lunch, and I seriously thought about throwing a kunai at them to scare them off. Sasuke retreated back into his shell with other people around, and to be frank, it worried me. I was afraid that, if he went too far in, he wouldn't come out again.

"Right." I whispered to the boys as we hid in a tree. Shinobi mad skills FTW, peeps! "We need to do something to get them off our backs. Sasuke, could you say that you had a girlfriend in another village, perhaps?"

"Nobody would believe that." He shot me a sceptical look. "I've never been out of the village, and we don't have that many visitors our age."

"Well, Akemi-chan, why don't you pretend to be Sasuke's girlfriend?" Naruto smirked foxily. Sasuke and I looked at each other and recoiled in disgust. Sasuke whapped him across the back of the head for good measure.

"I'm not going out with Akemi!" He muttered under his breath. "That'd just be wrong!"

"Usually, I'd be insulted, but I agree with Uchiha. Wrong, on so many different levels." He was younger than I was mentally, as well as being way too young to have a girlfriend, pretend or not!

"Well," I sighed. "Looks like we'll just have to put up with it."

* * *

The fangirls were very persistent, but Sasuke wasn't a genius for nothing, nor was Naruto Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja title undeserved. And me? Well, I was decent enough with henge to play decoy. I'd never be as good a shinobi as the other two, I understood that. And, really, they deserved it, the struggles they had gone through and had yet to face. I just wished that I could be stronger, to be able to help them when the time came.

* * *

I knew that being stronger had a price. After all, look at Rock Lee. His chakra coils were so deformed, he couldn't do any ninjutsu or genjutsu, but still, he persevered. I was determined to follow his example. I would be a genius of hard work, and keep up with my friends!

In keeping with my new-found resolution, I started to practice extra, doing chakra control exercises under the table during lectures. Sasuke noticed me doing it, once, and asked what I was up to. The explanation fascinated him.

"So, by doing these exercises, you increase how much chakra you have, as well as how well you can use it?" He looked intrigued, so I quickly demonstrated the principles behind tree-walking, which had taken me about two weeks to master. I was on to water-walking, now, but it was difficult to train, as it required a large body of water, which could only really be had in a training ground, which was only for Genin level upwards, or the hot springs, which were full of naked people. The leaf-sticking technique, as I had come to call it, was easy enough to do in class, but hard enough that it stretched my still-growing chakra supply.

Of course, Naruto wanted in on the big secret, too, so I ended up teaching both of them at the same time. I think they made something of a competition out of it, and a little more of Sasuke stuck its' head out from the shell.

* * *

It was our final year in the Academy, hopefully – we were all ready to pass, and we knew the techniques inside and out. Well, except for Naruto and the Clone Jutsu, which he couldn't seem to get down, no matter what he tried. Call it destiny – maybe he was never supposed to learn that justu. Fate had bigger things in store for him.

* * *

Of our small group, I went first. I pulled off all the techniques without a hitch, and was awarded my forehead protector. I was a real shinobi of the Leaf! I hoped that my parents could see me, wherever they were. I had made them proud, today. I just knew it.

Sasuke was next up, and as I suspected he would, he passed with flying colours, being complimented for how lifelike his clones appeared. He came out wearing a forehead protector and a smirk. I figured I'd let the latter slide – he deserved it, today of all days.

Naruto exited later, looking as though he were about to cry. I ran up to him and hugged him, as I used to when we were smaller, murmuring comforting nonsense into his ear. Sasuke approached behind him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Naruto – next time, for sure." I whispered, as he broke down in tears in my arms, Sasuke behind us, watching our backs.

"Come on, let's get out of here, before someone else comes through." Sasuke indicated the door with a jerk of his chin, and I agreed with him. Better not to let anyone else see Naruto like this. Now, how could we leave him to be found by Mizuki-sensei, so that he could pass? Well, if he didn't find him outside, Ichiraku's was Naruto's favourite place, so probably the first place he'd go look. I decided to make certain, however, and when Hinata came through, forehead protector around her neck and a shy smile in place, I darted in through the door, hoping that I was fast enough. Lucky for me, they hadn't called anyone else in yet – it was just Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei discussing how people had done, whether it was worth it for them to try again next year, or if they should just quit now and save their losses.

"Iruka-sensei, Naruto's pretty cut up about not passing this time around, so we're going to go to Ichiraku's, and stuff him full of ramen until he can't be unhappy anymore." I stage-whispered. I could practically see the gleam in Mizuki-sensei's eyes, and I did not like it one bit!

* * *

We went to Ichiraku's together, the three of us, and we bought Naruto pork ramen until he couldn't bear to eat anymore. Sasuke and I both had miso, which is absolutely lovely.

"I appreciate the thought, guys, but can I be alone for a bit?" He no longer seemed so down, so I suppose my job here was done. Now, to wait for Mizuku-sensei to do his part.

I grabbed Sasuke's hand. "Okay, then, we'll be at my apartment. Knock in when you're ready to have company, okay?"

And so we left him to make Genin, and learn the Shadow Clone Justu.

* * *

He came in the next morning, to Sasuke and I asleep on the couch. We had nodded off while waiting for him, and I suspect the sight touched him more than he ever said.

"I'm back!" He yelled, rudely waking the two of us up. We startled upright, and then I looked at him, hoping, _praying..._

There was a Leaf forehead protector holding his hair back, instead of those silly goggles!

I cheered, and rushed him into a hug. "What happened? How did you make Genin?" I demanded, playing my part to perfection.

"Mizuki-sensei told me that there was another way to make Genin, you just had to get a scroll from the Hokage's tower, but then he was a traitor, and Iruka-sensei came, and it was all a bit confusing, really." He scratched the back of his head, sheepishly."But I made Genin, because I learned the Shadow Clone Justu, and it's really awesome!"

"Well done!" I praised. "I know of that justu, and it's meant to be Jounin-level, because of the amount of chakra at takes to perform!" He preened under the praise, and Sasuke looked on, a hint of admiration in his dark eyes.

"You know what this means?" He asked, grinning wider than I think I've ever seen him.

"No, oh great and mighty lord Uchiha. Inform the peasants what it means." I countered, drolly.

"We may be on a Genin team together!" Naruto cheered, while Sasuke scowled at me. I stuck my tongue out, like the mature adult I clearly am.

We wouldn't be on a Genin team together – that spot belonged to Sakura, after all. But, maybe, I could somehow get my team to pass this year, and make it the Rookie Twelve instead of the Rookie Nine? The more shinobi we had, the better, and I was determined not to fail!


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is dedicated to ****Caellach Tiger Eye, who left the most amazing review I have ever read. Thank you, so much! In this chapter, ssome of the changes Akemi has made are revealed, and someone's dream is shattered.**

* * *

The day of the Genin squad placements finally came, and I was simultaneously looking forward to and dreading it – I would finally be put out of my misery, but I was going to be split up from my friends, placed in a team with near-total strangers, since I hadn't really gotten to know anybody outside of the Rookie Nine, and even of those, I wasn't too close to Ino or Sakura. Sasuke avoided them whenever possible, and after all, bros before hos!

I arrived there early on the day, and found a seat next to Shikamaru, who looked at me oddly, but didn't comment. I suppose that I was always with Naruto and Sasuke, so any deviation from my normal routine would have been noticed by Shikamaru. He didn't comment, though, so I suppose it was alright. I had wanted to be early, just in case I got a chance to sneak a peek and find out who my new team-mates were, but as the clock rolled on, it didn't look like that was about to happen.

Sasuke arrived about five minutes early, and ignored his fangirls to slide into the seat beside me. "Akemi." He greeted. Monotone as ever, our Sasuke. "Good morning, Sasuke. Did you sleep well?" The dark circles under his eyes told me that he had not, and he shook his head minutely. "Me neither – I'm worried about today. Who you're teamed up with will affect you for the rest of your life, so today's a big one..." I fretted, worrying at the sleeve of my hoodie with my fingers. Thankfully, it was designed for shinobi wear – it could take any abuse I dished out and come back for more. "We could all have dinner at mine, and maybe play some card games after, to celebrate our new teams." _And to reassure us that some things never change _went unsaid, but he nodded, so I think he got my point. I didn't want us to drift apart, not ever!

* * *

Naruto arrived just before Iruka-sensei started reading out the teams, skidding into the classroom and screeching to a halt. Iruka just glared him into submission, and he went looking for an available seat. Seeing that our row was entirely full, he pouted, and took the nearest available seat, next to a Sasuke-fangirl I recognized from previous attempts at evasion.

"Alright, let's get started. Team One will be..."

I listened carefully, but he reached Team Six with no mention of Fujiwara Akemi.

"Team Seven. Uzumaki Naruto, Fujiwara Akemi, and Uchiha Sasuke. Team Eight..."

Wait. Did he just say that I was on Team Seven?

I raised my hand. "Sensei, could you confirm which team I was on, please? I think I must have misheard..."

"No mistake, Akemi-chan. You, Naruto and Sasuke are on a team together."

"Oh my gosh, Akemi-chan, isn't that great?" Naruto yelled, almost bouncing up and down in his seat.

I felt sick.

Had I stolen Sakura's place, her chance to make Genin? No, I couldn't believe that – I'd go mad if I did. This was random chance, nothing more. Of course having one more kunoichi in the class would mean that not everything turned out the same.

Team Eight were the same as in the original time-line with Team Nine containing Sakura and two shinobi I had never heard of. They were twins, which was kinda cool, and they were always perfectly in sync, but they weren't very sociable, and I saw Sakura deflate a little.

Team Ten was the same as well, which was handy, since I knew their general fighting styles would mesh well together. Team Eight, also, would make a good team.

I went up to Iruka-sensei before we split for lunch. "Sensei, are you sure that the team I was placed in was the right one?" I asked, unsure. His response would determine if I felt like a horrible person for the rest of forever, so there was a lot riding on this.

"Yes, Akemi-chan, I'm sure. It's long been a Konoha tradition to have a Genin team composed of the best ranking student, which is Sasuke, the worst ranking student, which is Naruto, and the kunoichi who scored the best in the Academy tests, which was you, Akemi-chan."

I startled. I had beaten Sakura? And Ino?

"So, you mean, I earned my place on this team?" My voice was smaller than I would have liked, but thankfully, Iruka-sensei just gave me an understanding look, and placed a warm hand on my shoulder. He nodded, and I felt myself tearing up a little.

I made for my new team-mates, both of whom had stood up for lunch. "Can you believe it? They're not splitting us up!" I could feel the tears making their way down my face, and I was sure that I looked like a completely horrible dripping mess. I was smiling so widely my cheeks hurt, and Naruto was returning it with his usual beaming grin, only amped up so much it was impossible to miss. Sasuke was wearing his usual smirk, but there was relief in his eyes that I'm sure I didn't imagine.

* * *

We ate lunch together, just the three of us, reveling in the face that we weren't about to be separated Well, I was. Who knew what went on in their heads? Probably 'ramen, ramen, ramen' and 'revenge, revenge, revenge', knowing them. I giggled a little at the thought, but then put it away. Lunch was over. Time to go and be a shinobi, make my parents proud.

We reconvened in the classroom, and waited there as all of the other Jounin senseis picked up their teams. And waited, and waited.

After an hour, Iruka-sensei looked over at us with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, but I need to go and hand out missions at the Hokage tower now..." He looked torn, though.

"Don't worry, sensei. We'll be fine here, Sasuke and I can keep Naruto out of trouble." Sasuke grunted his approval, and Naruto pouted, but reluctantly agreed to behave himself.

He left us alone, and we waited some more. Thankfully, I had expected this, and brought a pack of cards along. When Kakashi entered, instead of being hit in the head by a chalk eraser, it was to the sight of Sasuke, Naruto and me playing Go Fish.

"Got any sevens?" He asked me. I shook my head, and chanted "Go Fish, Go Fish, Go Fish!" until Naruto took a card from the pile. Sasuke grinned, seeming to be having as much fun as I was over this infantile game.

Kakashi coughed from the door. "First impressions; you're not bad. Now, meet up on the roof in five minutes."

I smirked. Operation: Don't hack off Kakashi, stage one, complete!

* * *

We arrived on the roof with a comfortable three minutes to spare. Kakashi was already there, waiting for us, the Icha Icha Paradise novel in hand.

"Great – we're all here. Now we can all introduce ourselves." There was a long pause, during which nobody spoke. "You know, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future. That kind of thing."

Nobody was willing to go first, so I bit the metaphorical bullet. "My name is Fujiwara Akemi, I like training and my team-mates, I dislike silly fangirls who spend more time on their hair then they do on training, and I hope to be able to make my parents proud of me."

Sasuke and Naruto nodded, and I could feel the support from my team. They had my back.

Naruto went next. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto! I like Akemi-chan, and I suppose Sasuke's not too bad, when he's not being a bastard, as well as ramen. I hate the three minutes it takes for instant ramen to be ready, and my dream is to be the next Hokage!"

Sasuke grunted. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke, and my dream for the future...no, my ambition is to restore my clan and kill a certain man. I don't like loud, obnoxious people," Oooh, and Naruto grimaced at that, "And I suppose that if I like anything, I like my team-mates." He got beaming smiles from both myself and Naruto for that comment. He might have a hard, crunchy shell, but on the inside was a soft, nougaty centre!

"Great." Kakashi clapped his hands together, very much giving off the sense of 'now that that's over with'... "My name's Kakashi, my likes and dislikes don't matter, and you're too young to know about my hobbies." He chuckled. "Now that we've gotten to know our team-mates, I get to tell you about what we're doing tomorrow!"

Naruto opened his mouth, but at twin glares from me and Sasuke, he rapidly shut it again, leaving sensei to speak.

"We're going to be going on a survival mission, which will double up as a test. You see, not all of those who passed the Genin exam will go on to be Genin. This test, MY test, has a sixty-six percent fail rate. Of the thirty who passed, only seven will become shinobi." The atmosphere was unbelievable, and both Naruto and Sasuke straightened reflexively.

"We meet at Training Ground Three, tomorrow morning at five o'clock. Training will be tough, so don't eat breakfast unless you want to puke it all up." He vanished in another poof of smoke, leaving us bewildered and befuddled. One of the main rules for long-term missions was to eat frequently, because it was difficult to fight on an empty stomach. Sensei was asking us to decide between following his orders blindly, or doing what we thought was best. Of course, it could be that I was completely wrong, and he just wanted to make this test harder for us. Maybe I was looking too far into things...

* * *

We arrived at the training ground together, at just before five in the morning. It was warm enough, thanks to Konoha's temperate climate, but the village was kind of spooky in the dark – there was nobody around, so our footsteps echoed in the streets.

Of course, Kakashi wasn't there. So I pulled out my pack of playing cards, and proceeded to teach my team-mates a new game, called Bullshit. It was mildly hilarious, because in order to win, you really needed to call other players out on lying, which could only be done by calling 'bullshit', so I had my team cussing right, left and centre. Still, it was great fun, and I like to think that our silly card games were team-building.

Kakashi-sensei (and I still can't get over the fact that he's my sensei!) finally arrived at eleven, six hours late. The entire team, myself included, had rumbly stomachs, but I had figured that it was probably better to obey, then eat the food I had brought with me after he revealed the true aim of the mission. After all, who could be criticized for bringing a few snacks on a survival mission?

"Everyone's here? Good, good. We'll get started, then. Your test today is to take these bells from me. Be warned, though, if you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you won't stand a chance of passing."

Naruto was the one to point out the obvious. "But, there are only two bells, and three of us!"

This was it. Crunch time. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins – I wouldn't let my team down. But, would they listen?

"That's the point. Only two of you can pass this test. The one without a bell will return to the Academy, and fail this test." He eye-smiled at us, as though he hadn't dropped an enormous bombshell. Or, he hadn't _thought _he had dropped a wtf-bomb on us.

"Team huddle!" I called, grabbing both boys and pulling them in. "Kakashi-sensei's a Jounin-level, we don't have a chance unless we work together. Naruto almost didn't pass this year, and Sasuke needs to get stronger to defeat his brother, so I'll go without for another year – it's no hardship for me, really!" They both gave me skeptical looks, but on seeing that I was really willing to do this, no regrets, they reluctantly agreed with my plan.

Naruto burst out from the trees, and trash-talked Kakashi for a little, trying to distract him, while Sasuke and I got into position. Once we were in our designated areas, I signaled Naruto using the shiny side of a kunai knife, flashing from where I was hidden.

"-Also, your hair's silly! Shadow Clone Justu!" He finished, creating a horde of clones to attack and distract Kakashi. Sasuke and I had henged into Naruto, and joined the clone army, blending in with them seamlessly and making our way towards our enemy for this test. We approached with a complete lack of caution, as Naruto would, then I screamed, "Now!" and about a dozen clones leaped on Kakashi, distracting him for the second it took for Sasuke to grab the bells and toss them to me. I was sure that Sharingan no Kakashi had allowed us to win, only to make us take the final test – who would go, and who would stay?

"So, Akemi-chan, you have both bells. Who is going to be on a Genin team with you, then?" He asked, deadly serious, kneeling at my eye level.

"Neither. They can have the bells – they did most of the work, I just caught them when Sasuke threw them to me. I'll come back next year." I responded with a smile.

"No, Akemi!" Naruto protested. "All I did was provide a distraction, it was your plan that got us the bells! I'll go back, you go forward."

"Akemi made the plan, I got the bells, and Naruto made it possible. You pass all of us, or none of us." Sasuke looked pale, but determined, and even though I knew this was a test, I felt grateful that they were willing to stand by me, and risk failing so that I would pass.

"What a determined team you have, Akemi-chan. What will you do with the bells?"

"Sasuke's right. All of us, or none of us." I thought that might be the answer he wanted, but I prayed that I was right. We all held our breath in anticipation and terror.

"Congratulations – you pass." His voice sounded happier than it ever had before, and his eyes looked like he was smiling, although we couldn't see beneath the mask.

"What?" Naruto gaped. "So, you're letting us all become Genin?" His voice was disbelieving, and I felt a surge of fondness for the two of them. They weren't expecting this, the way I was, but they were still more willing for us to fail together then to betray me.

"The aim of this test wasn't to assess your skills, although that was a part of it. The real aim of this test was teamwork. Could you work together, knowing that one of you would fail regardless, and have to return to the Academy? Could you make the decision to put the well-being of the team before your own? You did that. You worked as a team, and were willing to pass or fail together. Those who abandon the mission are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash." He stood fluidly, like the trained killer he was.

"Akemi-chan made a good plan, and you both followed it flawlessly, without a word of complaint. When she offered to sacrifice herself for you, Naruto, you made the offer that you would go in her place, and Sasuke, you said that your team would pass, or fail, together. That took guts. I'm proud to say that you are the first Genin team I've ever passed! We meet here tomorrow to go and get our first mission." With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke, without saying what time we were to meet up. It was lunchtime, now, and we went to Ichiraku's to celebrate, ignoring the bento boxes that Kakashi had brought. After all, there were only two of them, and there were three people on Team Seven!

* * *

After lunch, I made my way home to shower, and get changed out of my dirty clothes, before meeting up with my team for a poker night. I had promised to show them how to play Texas Hold 'Em, and I was looking forward to the challenge.

About half-way to my apartment, though, I heard someone crying in an alleyway, and went to go see what was wrong. After all, as a qualified shinobi, I had a duty to the people!

It was Sakura, pink hair dusty and red outfit torn, revealing a myriad of shallow, painful cuts. They didn't look serious or deep, but they must have hurt like hell. She was sobbing in the corner, and I felt awful. It was my fault that she was here like this, and in my elation over being in Team Seven with my friends, I had forgotten about the repercussions on other people's lives. Just because I had earned my spot on my team didn't mean that it shouldn't rightfully have been Sakura's.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, awkwardly. "Sakura-san? Are you okay?"

"Go away!" She cried, breath hitching on the last syllable. "You're still wearing your forehead protector, so you passed, didn't you?!"

"Yep, Sasuke passed too, you know – he was amazing! I can tell you all about it, if you'd like." I offered. It was the least I could do, after ruining this young girl's chances.

She sniffled. "Really? But, I thought you didn't like me..."

I blinked. "Well, maybe, but I don't dislike you either, and leaving you here would be beyond cruel. Why don't you come back to mine? It's team poker night tonight, so Sasuke and Naruto will both be there – I can show you how to play, if you want."

She looked up at me, with watery green eyes. She really was quite pretty, I realized. Not stunning, like Ino was, with her platinum blonde hair and killer figure, but in a girlish, childish way. It hit me again that she was only twelve – too young for this kind of heartbreak. "Thank you, Akemi-san, but I can't let Sasuke see me like this..."

"I'll patch you up, then lend you some clothes, if you want. Heck, ask your parents if you can stay the night, and we can have a sleepover."

She smiled tearfully. "Thank you, Akemi-san!"

I felt my guilt shrink, but not vanish. I had a lot to make up to her.

Sakura's parents were worried about her, but they seemed to think that a night out with a friend would be the best cure. I didn't correct them, that Sakura and I had barely spoken at the Academy, and the only real interaction we had was some mutual glaring, because I wanted her to leave Sasuke alone, and she wouldn't take the hint. Sakura got changed quickly and packed an overnight bag, while I stayed in the kitchen, making awkward conversation with her mother and sipping my tea, wishing that I could be out of there. Thankfully, it didn't take her too long to get ready, and I left Sakura's mother with my address, just in case there was an emergency of some kind. Both of her parents were civilians, and she would have been the first ninja in her family. Once again, I felt like a horrible person for taking that away from her.

She darted down the stairs, cuts no longer visible, but I could tell from the way that she was walking and her facial expression that she was in a lot of pain. When I reminded her that Sasuke would be there, though, she quickly cheered up, nattering on about how cool Sasuke-kun was, and how amazing he was at ninjutsu. I stifled a snicker. Just you wait, girl. You haven't seen anything yet.

* * *

We arrived at my apartment before either of the others, which meant that I had enough time to get out our traditional snacks and a box of matches to use as chips. I rapidly explained the rules of poker to her, and she nodded, but I think that she understood it the first time round. She was sharper than I gave her credit for, I think – the only way I beat her in the Academy tests was because I had the mind of an adult, while she was still a child.

Sasuke arrived first, and I prayed 'please don't kill me' as he entered. He saw Sakura, and tensed, but then I think he must have seen the expression she was wearing, the dried tear-tracks on her face, so he said nothing, which I am eternally grateful for.

Sakura perked up once he was there, asking about how the test had gone for us. Apparently their test had been to find a hidden item, but instead of working together, they went their own ways, so they failed to find it in the time limit. She looked starry-eyed at the description of how our test went, completely glossing over what Naruto and I had added to the team, but I found that I couldn't begrudge her a silly little crush. Not today, of all days.

Naruto skidded in, ten minutes late, apologizing rapidly, then pausing when he saw Sakura sitting in my kitchen.

"Eh? Is Sakura-chan going to be joining in?"

I nodded, and explained that Texas Hold 'Em would have to wait for another night. He took it with good grace, and I was surprised by how well my team were behaving tonight. Perhaps they knew how close they could have come to failing, had it been anyone else but Kakashi. It was a humbling experience, having our futures in someone else's hands.

We played until the small hours of the morning – Naruto won, of course, damn his blasted luck, but I think Sasuke and I made him work for it. Sakura picked it up surprisingly quickly, and could judge her plays well, but she didn't have much of a poker face.

We all fell asleep on my big, cushy sofa – I brought blankets out from my bedroom, so we were all warm and cosy. Sakura was on one end of the couch, and I was next to her, with Naruto beside me and Sasuke as far away from the fangirl as he could get, which made me chuckle.

* * *

I was the first to wake, and as it was my house, I had certain duties as host, one of which was making a delicious breakfast. Lucky for me, I made excellent pancakes, and I had all of the ingredients here at home, so I didn't have to go out.

Naruto got up next, lured by the smell of fluffy pancake goodness, I like to think. Sasuke followed soon after him, his unconscious realizing that he was alone with a fangirl in the vicinity, and finally Sakura, yawning with her hair in a mess. She looked a lot better than she had last night, though, for which I was grateful. If she had still been a sobbing mess, I think I might have cried.

"Thank you for having me, Akemi-chan!" So, we were on '-chan' terms now? Well, okay, I could roll with this.

"It's fine, Sakura-chan. Are you feeling any better?" Naruto was looking at her with concern, while Sasuke didn't seem that bothered. She nodded, though, so I suppose everything seemed better after a night's sleep.

"Yes, but I'm going to head home now, I think – I'd like to have a shower, and I couldn't here, with boys around..." She left after getting changed in my bedroom, and gathering all of her things. I was kind of glad to see her go, to be honest. I know how horrible it sounds, but seeing her reminded me that this shouldn't have been my place, that I shouldn't be here. The knowledge stung. This was the first major change I had made to this time-line. I mean, sure, I had befriended Sasuke and Naruto, but this was the big one. This change, I couldn't say was only positive, because it sure as hell had a negative impact on Sakura. She would have to try again because of me.

No. I mustn't linger on what I can't change. Stealing Sakura's place had never been my intention, and I hadn't actively tried to sabotage her. I had as much right to exist here as anyone else, and, as Iruka-sensei had said, I had earned my place in this team.

It would seem that Sasuke caught my contemplative mood, because he nudged me as he walked past. "You okay?" He asked, and Naruto looked over.

"Just thinking – Sakura's scores were the second-highest in the Academy. Were it not for me, she'd probably have passed as well. It's kind of my fault that she failed..."

"Don't say that." Sasuke scolded, which was sweet of him. "You were the one who made us work as a team – and were it not for you, Naruto would have no friends, and I would have been alone after my clan were killed."

"Yeah, Akemi-chan." Naruto agreed, bless him. "We'd much rather have you then her on our team, anyhow!" Sasuke nodded, and I could feel tears trickling down my cheeks. I was smiling so widely that my cheeks hurt, and after hearing their faith in me, I could no longer continue to beat myself up over what had happened. My heart felt lighter already.

"Okay, enough of the mushy stuff." I wiped the tears from my eyes, even though I was still beaming like a nutter. "We need to go to get our first mission as a team, so that we can have a proper poker night to celebrate!"

Naruto cheered, and Sasuke smirked, which I took as a sign of approval.

* * *

We arrived at the training field Kakashi had specified on time the next morning. Of course, he was nowhere to be found, so out came the cards, and I began to explain Texas Hold 'Em. I'm not sure why we even played cards, since Naruto always won, but it was a good way to pass the time. It developed bluffing skills, too, and it might come in handy on an infiltration mission.

By the time Kakashi-sensei finally arrived, Naruto had won twice, and Sasuke and I were ribbing him about it.

"I bet you cheat!" I accused playfully.

"After all, there's no way anyone could have luck like that." Sasuke agreed.

Naruto whined. "Guys, stop picking on me!"

Oh, but he made it so easy! Sasuke and I dissolved into laughter. Well, I laughed, and he chuckled. I missed his happy laugh, from before his family was killed, but something like that happening... changes you.

"Hello, my cute little team!" Kakashi appeared from nowhere. "Sorry I was late, I had to help an old lady with her shopping."

Naruto just shrugged it off. "It's okay, Akemi-chan taught us how to play a new style of poker while we were waiting!"

"Of course it's okay with you, you just won." Sasuke muttered, and I giggled.

"So, let's go to the Hokage tower and get our first mission!" Kakashi's voice was mock-enthusiastic, but I didn't care. I cheered, and Naruto joined in.

Our first 'mission', if it even deserved the name, was to find Tora, a lost cat. It seemed like he belonged to someone important – after all, hiring out shinobi was expensive! Some of the money went to the village directly, some to our Jounin sensei, and then the paltry amount that was left was divided between the three of us. Still, it was more than enough to live on for a week or two, which was good, as we were no longer receiving the support the village gave to orphans. As shinobi, we were adults in all the ways that counted, and we had the legal rights to back it up. After all, how could the village justify sending us out to kill, but treat us like children when we were at home?

We were back before lunch, so Kakashi suggested we take on another mission, if we had the energy. Of course, the amount of money we were making, we had enough energy for three more missions, as well as it being good experience.

This time, we were asked to paint a fence, and again, Kakashi did nothing to help. One whispered conversation with Naruto later, though, we had a dozen Shadow Clones helping us, so the work was done in a flash. Once again, we received payment, and I was chuffed. No wonder it was the ambition of so many to become shinobi – it paid excellently! We decided to have Korean barbecue to celebrate, and Kakashi ate with us. We offered that he could join in on the night of card games that we had planned, and he thanked us for the offer, but declined, and went home. As it turned out, he did so without paying, too, so the three of us each pitched in for his portion, although Sasuke grumbled about it, and Naruto looked ready to try and punch him the next time we saw him.

Our night of card games was great fun, and we picked a game that totally relied on skill, so the amount of wins was pretty even between the three of us. It was a wonderful night, just three friends, hanging out. Trash-talking was rife, as was teasing, but none of it was malicious, and by the end, my chest hurt from laughing. We all fell asleep on my couch, ready to meet up with Kakashi for more missions tomorrow, and everything was perfect in my little world.

* * *

Our next day was more of the same. I didn't mind the more trivial missions, but I could tell that it was wearing Naruto and Sasuke down. So far, our sensei hadn't really taught us anything, either, just meeting us for missions then dismissing us. We still trained, of course, sparring together to keep us in shape, but we were stagnating, and we knew it. The next few days were more of the same.

Of course, Naruto cracked first.

"I want a real ninja mission, not these silly chores we're been doing!" He yelled at both Kakashi and the Hokage, who was looking on with an indulgent smile.

"That's no way to talk to the Hokage!" Iruka hollered, a vein in his temple throbbing. "And these missions are meant for new Genin, to encourage teamwork and -!"

"So, you want a real mission?" The Hokage's eyes twinkled, and he was smiling like he had expected this. "A mission fit for shinobi?" He was talking about the mission to the Land of Waves!

Naruto was practically bouncing in anticipation, and Sasuke had tensed, ready for action. "Well, it just so happens that I have a suitable mission here – are they ready for a C-rank, Kakashi?"

"I believe so, Hokage-sama." Kakashi nodded his head once. The affirmation made me feel proud, that he thought us capable of a harder mission.

"Well, then, could someone please get the bridge-builder?" The Hokage ordered politely, and Iruka-sensei left the room, only to return with an old guy who looked like he'd had a bit too much to drink. "I'm Tazuna, the greatest bridge-builder the world has ever seen, and it will be your job to escort me safely to the Land of Waves, and guard me until the construction work is complete." He swayed slightly on his feet. "Hey, are these three kids the ones who are supposed to be guarding me? They all look weak, especially the short one!"

Sasuke bristled, and Naruto looked ready to attack, but I put a hand on each of their shoulders, and they stilled as I stepped forward. ""We may be young, but don't underestimate us!" I pointed to Sasuke. "He was widely considered the most talented ninja in our class, and he has the skills to back it up." I then gestured to Naruto. "He was the most unpredictable, as well as being a chakra powerhouse." They both preened under the praise, Naruto more noticeably than Sasuke.

"And you? What makes you special?" He demanded. I had no answer.

"Akemi-chan's real smart!" Naruto pitched in. "And she's good at almost everything!"

"Akemi was the highest ranking kunoichi in our year." Sasuke interjected. "Insult our team again, and we're the ones you'll need protecting from."

"Maa, maa, team, settle down." Kakashi scolded gently. "We're here to protect him, not to hurt him."

Naruto and Sasuke scowled at that. I was too busy smiling over my team's defense to be unhappy.

"We leave in two hours, that should give you time to get packed. Meet at the main gate to the village." Kakashi instructed us. Lucky for us, we didn't have anyone to day goodbye to, so we only had to pack enough for a long mission.

* * *

I reached my home in record time, pulling my brand-new ninja backpack out from where I had stowed it. I was glad that I had made the decision to spend some of my paycheck on one, otherwise I would have had to use a normal bag, which didn't have nearly as many compartments, and wasn't as sturdily built. This would be comfortable to wear and fight with, without limiting my range of movement too much.

I packed quickly, remembering that I could wash or repair clothes, but weapons would be harder to find. I probably packed enough for a small country, but better safe then sorry, right?

I met everyone back at the gate – it seemed I was the last person to be ready, even though I was a good half-hour early. As we were all there, we set off there and then, off to the Land of Waves, and our first real mission.

I kept an eye out for puddles, exceedingly thankful that I had remembered this small detail, and sure enough, about an hour into our journey, there was one. I decided to alert the team, so that we would be ready for the attack.

"Hey, Naruto, you ready for cards tonight? I'll kick your ass," I teased, "after all, you're Konoha's unluckiest ninja."

His eyes widened, and he looked about to retort, when Sasuke joined the conversation. "Yeah, that's why we beat you at cards every time."

Naruto cottoned on with a near-visible light-bulb moment, "Well, it isn't my fault if you guys are lucky bastards. After all, you have Konoha's best ninja on your team."

"Why, Naruto, I didn't know you felt that way about me." I teased, while Sasuke looked on with a grin in his eyes. "But thank you for the compliment!"

He spluttered, and Kakashi-sensei looked on in amusement, while Tazuna looked like he wished we were a little quieter. I felt only a very little bit of pity for him, though – after all, his hangover was self-inflicted, and he knew that we had a full day's travel ahead of us. Maybe he needed the drink, to deal with the fact that he lied to us, and was now risking the lives of three children. Still, it was for the good of his country, so I suppose I could understand. I didn't feel much attachment to Konohagakure, but I knew that I'd do worse if my team were in danger.

Becoming a ninja seemed to have had an adverse effect on my moral compass. I still had a conscience, sure, but I knew that I was capable of terrible things to protect my team. Killing others? Sure, why not. If they were a risk to us, better that they die, rather then us. It was a harsh way of looking at the world, yes, but this team meant everything to me, and I'd die to protect them in a heartbeat. I'd kill to protect them in two.

Perhaps that was why so many shinobi were willing to kill. To protect their teams, the people who were special to them.

I was deep in thought, but the attack brought me out of it.

"Formation Delta!" Sasuke called, taking the role of leader for this attack. I was glad that he had suggested we come up with some formations before we had taken on this mission, on one of our card game nights. I knew what my role was, and the others did as well.

I was to protect the item or person we were protecting, while Naruto and Sasuke set up a defensive barrier in front of me. Kakashi joined me to protect Tazuna, leaving Sasuke and Naruto to handle the fight.

They were amazing, seeming to read each other's minds. Every attack was flawlessly carried out and coordinated, and their opponents didn't stand a chance. I was left with nothing to do as they demolished our opponents, and the attack was over in seconds.

"Well done, my cute little squad - that was very well organized and carried out. Now, Tazuna-san, I think you have some explaining to do." The last part was directed at the bridge-builder, who looked pale and nauseous.

Tazuna's explanation was the same as it was in canon – Gatou was taking advantage of the townspeople by monopolizing the shipping, and his grandson would miss him if he died. He didn't even try and pretend that the ninja were attacking us as enemy ninja, which I was glad for. It meant that Kakashi slit their throats and collected tokens for us to claim the bounty on their heads, then destroyed the bodies, instead of torturing them for information first.

"So, team, what do we do? We can go on with the mission, or we can return to Konoha, and turn him in for lying on the request form, which makes this mission invalid. We no longer have to stay." Kakashi asked us.

"I vote we continue with the mission." Naruto pitched in. "We can handle anything that they send our way, and I want to help the people in the Land of Waves."

Sasuke nodded. "We can take anything they throw at us, and we've come too far to give up on our first real mission."

Kakashi looked at me, questioningly, and I shrugged. "I don't mind either way, but I'll side with my team. I vote to keep going."

Tazuna thanked us profusely, which I think embarrassed the boys. I didn't mind too much, and Kakashi-sensei seemed used to it, but after a few minutes, he told Tazuna to be quiet, which he agreed to without protest.

* * *

We set up camp the first night, on watch for enemy ninja. It was tense, but Kakashi reassured us that he'd keep an eye out, which helped a great deal. He was our Jounin-sensei, and we trusted him.

"Sasuke, go hunt us up some dinner. Naruto, go look for firewood, and Akemi, help me get camp ready." Kakashi ordered. The boys followed without complaint, and I yelled a request for rabbit after Sasuke. I liked rabbit, and there should be plenty around this time of year.

"So, Akemi, how did you know to warn the other two?" Kakashi asked me, a serious look in his eye.

"Well..." I was unsure of how to respond to this one without lying. "There shouldn't have been a puddle, right? I mean, it's the middle of summer, and it hasn't rained for days. So for there to be a puddle was odd. Add that to the way Tazuna-san's jumping at shadows, and I figured that something was up."

"Well done – not many Chuunin would have noticed that." He praised, and I felt horrible for lying. What could I do, though – telling the truth was off the table. He'd think me insane, or a traitor. I silently got back to making the camp ready, removing a square of grass for the fire-pit, to be replaced before we left, hopefully leaving no trace of our presence. I then laid out our sleeping bags close together – I wasn't sure that I'd have been able to sleep, if I didn't know we were safe tonight, and I wanted to keep the other two close.

Sasuke returned after about half an hour, his hands full of birds, and... was that a rabbit I saw?

Naruto was already back by then, as thanks to the dry weather, there was plenty of firewood scattered around the camp. We skinned and gutted them together, and then skewered them, to roast over the fire. I had some rice balls packed away, but it was better to hunt if you could, and reduce the amount you had to carry.

While we waited for the meat to be ready, I whipped out the now-familiar deck of cards, and got a good game of Bullshit going. Three players was a good number to have, since it added the extra intrigue of trying to remember which cards your opponent held. It was a fun game, the three of us playing for kunai knives and senbon needles, which we knew we were going to give back at the end. It was only so that we could keep track of who was winning.

Kakashi was reading his Icha Icha Paradise, so we left him to it, and Tazuna was thinking, running through bridge schematics if his muttering was anything to go by.

It was a good night.


End file.
